


offer up your heart

by orphan_account



Series: roleplay blog drabbles [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Drabble Meme, M/M, tumblr repost
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 02:23:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi has a gift for Erwin.</p>
<p>--</p>
<p>"When Erwin first took him in from the slums, that was what he was told. As soon as he heard it, he scoffed and turned his nose up like it was the most disgusting thing; and in a sense, it was.</p>
<p>"No man is an island." is the saying, but he always thought it was stupid."</p>
            </blockquote>





	offer up your heart

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt:
> 
> Leave an “Offer Me” in my ask, and I’ll write a drabble about my character giving yours a gift.
> 
> An Erwin was the one who left this one.

_"Offer up your heart.”_

That was the motto of the Scouting Legion.

—

When Erwin first took him in from the slums, that was what he was told. As soon as he heard it, he scoffed and turned his nose up like it was the most disgusting thing; and in a sense, it was.

"No man is an island." is the saying, but he always thought it was stupid.

To Levi, trusting a fellow man is wearing your heart on your sleeves, presenting an open target for people to stab, to hurt, to destroy.

In the slums, living like that would have gotten you killed.

But the utmost patience with which Erwin handled Levi, the way he handled all of the shorter man’s tantrums and bouts of anger (and blatant insubordination, at times) surprised Levi; he saw that Erwin was a composed, guarded man; yet at the same time, he knew that Erwin was basically putting a knife in Levi’s hand and trusting that Levi won’t kill him overnight— no,  _knowing_  that Levi wouldn’t kill him overnight.

(Levi had been tempted a few times, just to prove him wrong. Just so he could feel the satisfaction of “you’re wrong and I’m right.”

But he doesn’t.)

He grew to be amazed by Erwin; by the way he can show Levi that he’s worth trusting, but at the same time, being so distant from people. This ability is one Levi doesn’t possess, because it’s black and white for him. All or nothing. Erwin’s selectiveness is intriguing.

What if Erwin is just showing him that he could be trusted in the beginning only? What if this knife he was allowed to hold a fake; what if Erwin turned it around and damage him the moment Levi let Erwin in?

It was then that he realized he didn’t hate the idea of trust; rather, the notion was a fear that swam in his head, and he only realized this after the period of scoffing at the very idea of  _trust._

Time and again, however, Erwin has proven him wrong; saved him during his first few missions even when Erwin claims that “lives are pawns you can sacrifice for the greater good of mankind”. He knew that Erwin could have turned back any time; instead, until Levi learned the ropes of killing Titans on his own, Erwin was always there to save him when he commits a blunder and those meaty fingers were a tad too close for comfort.

And slowly, Levi began to offer his own heart to Erwin.

—

"Tea for me, Levi?" Erwin chuckled, watching as Levi poked his head into his office, bringing with him a tray with a teapot on it, and a cup.

Levi didn’t say anything; he only placed it on the table, and sat near Erwin, watching him do paperwork, quietly and without a peep.

And Erwin knew that it meant Levi just wanted his company.

Letting a small smile creep onto his face, he raised his hand and touched Levi’s head, testing the waters and seeing if Levi would bat his hand away (because he always does).

This time, Levi didn’t.

Erwin smiled, and merely ruffled the raven-colored locks lightly before continuing to write the mountain of paperwork.


End file.
